Feeder for treadle printing-presses



(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. ORSER.

FEEDER EOE TEEADLE. PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,059. Patented July 2, 1889.

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ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Phom-Lilhugriphar, wnhingxm D4 C.

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. ORSER. FEEDER EOETEEADLE PRINTING PRESSBS.

No. 406,059. Patented July 2, 1889.

WIT SSES: INVENTDR:

Jazz/ 14s BY M, g ATTORNEYS.

N. versus hmwmm n ben Waihingium n. e.

(No Model.) 9 SheetsSheet 4.

L. ORSER. FEEDER FOR TREADLE PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,059. Patented July 2, 1889.

SSBS: INVENTORE @M "?43 BY Mg} ATTORN S-' N. PETERS, Phnm-Lilhugraphar, Washlngton, D. c.

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 5. L. ORSER. EEEEEE FOR TREADLE PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,059. Patented July 2, 1889..

WIT sEs: INVENTOR: Mmo'w flaw J N FETEFIS. Phnlo-Lmvograplwr, Washington. D. C

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 6.

L. ORSER. FEEDER FOR TREADLE PRINTING PEEssEs.

No. 406.059. Patented July 2,v 1889.

INVENTOR ATTQRNBYS.

N PETERS Phalo-Lllhogmphqr, Wmington, D16.

(No Model.)

9 Sheets-Sheet 7.

L. ORSER.

FEEDER FOR TREADLE PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,059. Patented July 2, 1889.

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(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet.8. L. ORSER. FEEDER FOR TREADLE PRINTING DRESSES. No. 406.059. Patentgd July 2, 1889.

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222::21: 1::12:22:11:21-11 fi :r 4/ z 1 i. if 1 WITNESSES? (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

L. ORSER.

' EEEEEE FOR TRBADLE PRINTING EEEssEs.

No. 406,059. Patented July 2, 1889..

i E WITNESSES INVENTOI? @024,

IIIIIIl/iZ II/III 1 ATTORNEYS N PETERS, Phawmm n her. \Vammllou. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

LEVI ORSER, OF GALV ISTON, TEXAS.

FEEDER FOR TREADLE PRlNTlNG-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,059, dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed December 29, 1887. Serial No. 259,293. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, LEVI ()RSER, of Galveston, in the county of (aralveston and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Feeder for 'lreadle Printing-Presses,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to feeders for printing-presses, and has especial reference to its employment in treadlc-presses, in which the feeder has tolay the paper on the platen and remove it after being printed.

By means of this invention a sheet of paper on the feed-plate and a printed sheet on the platen are simultaneously lifted therefrom and carried respectively to the platen and holder-plate, where they are deposited. To accomplish this, lifters are employed which hold the paper by means of a mechanism which produces a partial vacuum in combination with mechanism for cutting off the suction and releasing the paper and moving the lifters in the proper time and direction. The platen is provided with clamps to hold the paper, which are automatically opened and closed, and the feed-plate has a removable and adjustable device to prevent more than one sheet being lifted at a time.

In the construction of this device holders for holding and transferring the paper are mounted on horizontal arms connected by sleeves to vertically-reciprocating rods and a vertical rotating shaft upon which the sleeves are adapted to slide. A vertical rotating shaft has secured to it sleeves or blocks in which vertically-reciprocating rods are adapted to move. The vcrtically-reciprocating rods are raised by a sleeve which slides upon the vertical rotating shaft, the sleeve being pivoted to a forked lever whichis acted upon by a cam. The vertical rotating shaft mounted in suitable beaiin 's is provided with a crank-arm connected bya link with a horizontally-vibrating lever actuated by aslotted cam. The holders for holding and transferring the paper communicate with a vacu um-pum p operated by a lever acted upon by a cam. A second cam on the same shaft as the latter acts upon a valve to open and close the connection between the vacuumpump and to release the paper. The several cams heretofore mentioned are mounted on the same shaft driven by anysuiiablc power. The cams are so timed in their construction that the vacuum will be produced to hold the paper on the feed-plate and platen against the holders which are raised by the verticallyreciprocating rods acted upon by the sleeve, sliding on the vertical rotating shaft and its connections, and then swung laterally over the platen and holding-plate by the slotted cam and laterally-vibratin g lever acting upon the vertical rotating shaft carrying the vertically-rcciprocating rods, and lowered to the platen and holder-plate by the cam, forked lever, sleeve, and vertically reciprocating rods. At this point the vacuum is cut off from the holders by a cam acting on a valve in the pipe connecting the lifters with the vacuu1n-pump. By the further rotation of the main shaft and its cams theliftcrs are raised and swung to a position out of the way between the feed and holding plates, where they rest till a sheet is'printcd, when the cams further act to move the lifters over and down upon the feed-plate and platen and create a partial vacuum for the lifters tohold the paper.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of refcrenccindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l. is a plan vicwof the fceder,show ing the lifters in position to transfer the paper from the feed-plate and platen to the platen and holding-plate. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the feeder with the lifters in position when the paper is transferred to the platen and holder-plate. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the feeder, showing the lifters atrcst between the feed and holder plates with the platen clear for printing. Fig. l is a section on the line 41/ .1 of Fig. 2, showing the position of the parts when the paper has been placed upon the platen. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 1 [I], Fig. 2, showing the position of the parts when the nippers or holders on the platen are closed and the paper has been lifted to be transferred. Fig. 6 is a view of the platen with the paper-holders closed. Fig. Tis adc tail in cross-section on line Fig. (l, with clamps in raised positions. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the feed-plate, partly broken away, showing the device attached for separating the sheets. Fig. 9 is a front edge view of the same. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the position of the cam and sleeve operating lever when the paper-holding disks have been lowered to the platen and holding-plate. Figrll is a plan view showing the same position of the cam and sleeve operating lever as in Fig.

10. Fig. 12 is a detail View of the vacuum cut-off mechanism, showing the position of the cam when the valve is opened to destroy the vacuum. Fig. 13 is a detail plan view, showing the cylinder-tube and cut-off valvelever, with cam and vacuum cut-off lever in the position shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a reverse view of the cam, lever, and vacuumvalve in the position shown in Fig. 13; with the valve in vertical section. Fig. 15 is a de tail reverse view of the cam and valve-lever in Fig. 12, showing the valve in vertical section and its lever and actuating-cam in the position when the valve is closed and the printing is taking place. Fig. 16 -is a detail view showing the side of the slotted cam and lever actuated thereby, the sliding sleeve and leve'r-connection and crank-arm of rotating shaft. Fig. 17 is a plan view of the slotted cam and lever for givinglateral movement to the paper-holder arms. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the vacuum-forming cylinder,its piston-actuating lever, and cam; and Fig. 19 is a side view thereof with one of the piston cross-head uprights and springs for throwing up the piston.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a frame-work, in which the feeder mechanism is mounted, and 2, 3, and 4 the feedplate, platen and holding-plate, respectively, mounted on suitable supports 5, one of which only is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The holders for holding the paper when transferred consist of suction-disks 5, of rubber or other suitable material, connecting by flexible tubes 6 with a pipe 7, leading to the cylinder 8 of a vacuum-pump, as shown in Fig. 4. The tubes 6 are held up out of the way by cords 9 and arms 10 on the pipe 7, as indicated in said fig- The tubes 6 are flexible, in order to allow for the vertical and lateral movements of the holders 5. Instead of flexible tubes rigid tubes might be employed, connected to the pipe 7 by universal joints to permit of the same range of movement.

The vacuum-pump consists of the cylinder 8 and a piston 9, having a cross-head 10, sliding on the standards 11 in the frame-work, and bearing against reacting coiled springs 12. The piston-rod of the piston 9 is jointed about midway, as at 13, to a slotted lever 14, pivoted to the framework 1, as shown. The lever 14 carries a friction-roller 15, which is acted upon by a cam 16 on shaft 17, to force down the lever 14 and piston 9. Upon the cam 16 ceasing to bear upon the roller 15 the lever 14 and piston 9 are drawn up by the reaction of the coiled spring 12. Adjacent to cam 16 on shaft 17 is a second cam 18, which bears against a friction-roller '19 on a lever or arm 20 of a three-way stop-cock 21 in pipe 7, to hold the arm 20 up and permit the formation of the vacuum for holding the paper against the holders. hen the paper is deposited, the cam 18 ceases to hold up the arm 20, and the latter is drawn down by a spring 22, thus opening the valve orstop-cock 21 and destroying the vacuum, thereby releasing the paper from the holders 5. The position of the parts is shown in Fig. 4. The holders 5 are secured to lifting-arms 23 by means of clamps 24, fastened together by screws 25, so

as to be detachable, and having an arm 26 held by a setscrew 27 to a block 28, fastened to arm23 by a set-screw. spring 30 connecting them to form a yielding joint, and a depending arm 31., which strikes against a buffer 32 to limit their lateral movement.

To permit the arms 23 to have a vertical and lateral movement, each is connected by a sleeve or block to a rotating shaft 34, mounted in bearings 35 36 of the frame 1, and to a vertically-reciprocating rod 37, slidingin sleeves or blocks 38, secured by a set-screw to shaft 34. The sleeve or block 33 slides on the shaft 34 and is fixed to the rod 37. The lower ends of the rods 37 rest on a flange 40 of a sleeve 41, adapted to slide on the shaft 34. -NVhen the sleeve 41 is raised,it pushes up the rods 37 and their arms 23, and the springs 42 are compressed by-the blocks 33, and upon the sleeve 41 being lowered the springs 42 react to force down the blocks 33 and the arms 23.

By the construction above described it will be seen that the lifter-arms 23 are raised up and down by the movement of the vertically reciprocating rods 37, moving in sleeves or bearing-blocks 38 on the rotating shaft 34, and that the rotation of the shaft 34 will carry with it the rods 37 and arms 23, so as to give the latter a lateral movement; To produce the vertical and lateral movement of the parts just described, the sleeve 41 is connected to a forked slotted lever 43, having a frictionroller 44 acted upon by a cam 45 on the shaft 17, which acts to raise and lower the sleeve 41, and the shaft 34 is connected by a crank 46, pivot 47,- and pivoted link 48 to a horizontally-vibrating lever 49, actuated by a slotted cam 50 on shaft 17, which acts to rotate shaft 34.

In order to hold the sheets of paper on the platen 3 while being printed, the platen 3 is provided with clamps 51, constructed of light rods, bent, as shown, and mounted on shafts 52, having springs 53, which normally hold the clamps against the paper. At one end of the shafts 52 are pulleys 54, mounted in blocks 55, secured by set-screws 57 to a rod 56, mounted on the platen. Upon the pulleys 54 is wound the cord 58, so as to pullback the clamps 51. The cord 58 is secured to a lever 59, which in turn is connected by a cord 60 to the end of a lever 61, as shown in Fig. 5.

The arms have a IIO The lever (31 is depressed by a cam H2 on shaft 17 to draw down the cord 00 and lever 59, which pulls upon the cord 58 to raise the clamps 51. This action takes place just be fore the paper is placed upon or removed from the platen by the holders 5.

63 is a plate secured in any suitable way to the lower face of the feed-plate 2 and projecting beyond the outer edge thereof. The plate (53 has parallel slots 01 01, extending inwardly from its outer edge at opposite sides of its center, and 68 is a central or intermediate slot parallel with slots (51. The feed-plate 2 is provided at its outer edge with slots 77, wider than the slots (31 (38, but in line therewith. The edge of the plate 2 is also cutaway between the central and outer slots to form the recesses 7 are the angular gages adjustable in and out of the slots 77 by means of bolts 66, projecting upwardly through the slots 77, and gages 65 from plates (55 Between horizon tal flanges of the gages 65 and the nuts to on the bolts rubber blocks 65 are placed, so that the gages will be held by friction in any adjusted position.

67 is a clamp formed of upper and lower plates connected by bolts (30, which pass through the slot 08. A rubber block 67 is held between the upper plate of the clamp and the nuts on on the upper ends of the bolts 09, so that the clamp will be held by friction in its adjusted position, and thenuts 69 no" may be adjusted to increase or lessen the tension of the several rubber blocks, so that the gages and clamp maybe moved with greater or less force, as will be readily understood.

is a transverse rod passed through the clamp above the plate 63 and provided with inclined ln'uslrholding clamps 71, resting at their lower edges on the plate (33 and clamping in place the brushes 72. By having the feed-plate recessed the brushes may be adj usted to engage the edge of the entire pile of paper and prevent more than a single sheet at a time from being raised, the said pile projecting more or less beyond or over the re cesses 73. The feed-plate is further provided with gage-blocks 75, constructed similarly to the gage-blocks (35, and adjustable in slots 76 in said plate. The elastic blocks 65 and (37' and similar blocks for the blocks hold said gage-blocks in position by tension and permit said gageblocks to be adjusted without releasing their nuts. The elastic blocks maybe either of rubber or a bent elastic metallic strip. The gage-blocks hold a pile of sheets in position on all sides and are adapted to be adjusted to sheets of dilferent sizes.

The operation of the feeder is as follows: A printed sheet; lying on the platen 3 and a pile of blank sheets on the feed-plate 2, the holders 5 are brought in contact with the sheets, as shown in l ig. 1, by the revolution of the shaft l7from the position shown in Fig. 33, the cam 50 acting to rotate shaft 31 and swing lifter-arms 23) to the lefl,al the same time the piston .1 being drawn up by the springs 12, and the cook or valve 21 being closed by the cam 18 lifting the arm 20, a vacuum is produced in tubes (3 and the paper is held against the holders 5. The further rotation of shaft 17 will cause cam -15 to raise lever 13, sleeve 41, rods 37, and arms 23 with holders 5, and thus lift the sheet from plate 2 and platen The action of cam 50 on lever 19, link 18, and crank 1U will rotate shaft 3.4., and swing the arms 23 and holders 5, with paper attached, around to the right over the platen 3 and holder 1. The cam 15 will then have rotated, as shown in Fig. 4, to allow springs 12 to carry down rods 37, sleeve 41, and lever 13, and place the holders 5 and paper upon the platen, as shown in Fig. 2. The cam 18 meanwhile has rotated to permit spring 22 to pull down arm 20 and open stop cock 21, thereby destroying the vacuum in tubes 0 and releasingthe paper from theholders 5. The clamps 51 also on platen have been opened prior to the paper being placed upon the platen bythe cam 02 actingon lever (51 to pull down lever 50 and cord 58. Upon the further rotation of shaft 17 and cams 45 and 50 the arms 23 and holders 5 are lifted and moved to the left to the position shown in Fig. 3, where they rest while the printing goes on. The springs 53 meanwhile have been permitted to throw back clamps 51 against the paperby the cam 62 releasing the lever (51. The cams l5 and 50 having continued to rotate, the arms and holders 5" are carried to the left from the position shown in Fig. 3, and are brought down against the paper or plate 2 and platen 3. The vacuum-pump has been meanwhile operated by cam '10, lever 14, springs 12, and piston 9, to produce a vacuum in tubes 6 and hold the paper against holders 5. The sheets are then ready to be lifted and transferred, and the operation of the feedercommences again from the position shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noticed that the holders 5 may be adjusted on arms 23 to sheets of different sizes by meansof blocks 28 and set-screws 27, and set at the proper angle to the plates 2 3 by set-screws 27 and arms 20. \Vhile specific constructions have been described and shown for the various parts and mechanisms, I do not intend to limit myself thereto, as other forms of construction and mechanism may be employed to accomplish the same results.

The shaft 17 is shown with a spur-wheel 7-1 mounted on its end, which may be connected with a train of gear-wheels operated by any suitable power to drive the machine. Any

suitable means may be employed to drive the shaft 17. It is preferably geared by an endless chain or belt with the press which is to be fed.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the combination, with the feed plate or table, the platen, and a receiver or holder, of two horizontally-oscillating vertically-movable paper-holders simultaneously actuated to respectively transfer a sheet from the platen to the receiver or holder, and from the feed plate or table to the platen, and mechanism, substantially as described, for so actuating the paper-holders, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the feed plate or table, the platen, and the receiving or holding plate or table, of a vertical rock-shaft, two vertically-movable lifter arms oscillated horizontally by said shaft, and a paper-holder on each lifter-arm, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the feed plate or table, the platen, and the receiving or holdin g plate, of two horizontally-oscillatin g lifterarms, a holder at the outer end of each arm, a vertical rock-shaft foroscillatin g said arms, and on which the arms move vertically, and a spring connecting said arms, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the feed plate or table, the receiving or holding plate or table, and the platen between the two, of the horizontally-swinging lifter-arms having pneumatic holders at their outer ends, flexible pipes leading from said holders, a valved pipe with which they communicate, an airexhaust pump for said pipe, levers for operating the pump and valve, and cams for operating said levers, substantially as set forth.

5. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the combination, with arotating cam and a lever and sliding sleeve operated by a cam, of vertically-reciproeating rods carrying lifter arms on which paper-holders are mounted, substantially as described.

6. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the combination, with the paper-holders, of a mechanism for swinging said holders laterally, consisting of a slotted cam, a horizontally-vibrating lever actuated thereby, a link, and crank-arm, and a rotating shaft carrying vertically-reciprocating rods on which the holder-arms are mounted, substantially as described.

7. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the combination, with a combined mechanism for raisin g the paper-holdin g arm s,

swinging them laterally, and lowering them, consisting of a cam, a vertically-swinging lever, a sliding sleeve mounted on a rotating shaft, and vertically-sliding rods towhich the holder-arms are attached raised by the sliding sleeve and lowered by reacting springs, of a slotted cam, a horizontally-vibrating lever actuated thereby, a pivoted link-connection, a crank-arm, and a rotating shaft on which the crank-arm is mounted, and which carry by means of sleeves the vertically-reciprocating rods and paper-holding arms, substantially as described.

8'. The combination, with the platen and the feed and holding plates or tables at opposite sides of the same, and the two vertically-mow;

able paper-holders spaced apart to correspond with the platen and plates, and horizontallyoscillating lifting-arms to which said paperholders are secured, of paper-clamps at opposite sides of the platen, an operating-lever, connections between the lever and clamps, and a cam acting .on said lever to open the clamps and allow the paper-holders to respectively remove and deposit a sheet from or on the platen, substantially as set forth.

9. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, aplaten having a device to hold down the sheet when being printed, consisting of pivoted clamps, springs which hold the clamps against the paper, pulleys'on the axes of the clamps, a cord operated by a cam, and a connecting-lever to open the clamps, substantially as described.

10. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, a feed-plate provided with adjustable brushes at its edge, whereby but one sheet may be lifted at a time, substantially as described.

11. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, a feed-plate having its edges provided with adjustable brushes and gageblocks, substantially as described.

12. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, a feed-plate having a device for perinittin g the release of one sheet ata time, consisting of a plate secured to said feed-plate,

. having brushes projecting over the edge of the feed-plate, substantially as described.

'13. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the combination, with the feed-plate 2, having slots 7 3 and 77, of the plate 63, having slots 64 and 68, blocks 67, elastic blocks 67, bolts 69, nuts 69, rod 70, brushes 72, brush-clamps 71, blocks 65, elastic blocks bolts 66, and nuts (56, substantially as de scribed.

14. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, a feed-plate having straight and inclined slots on its edges, in combination with a plate having inclined brushes which lie in the inclined slots in the feed-plate and overlap it, substantially as described.

15. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, a feed-plate provided with adjustable brushes inclined to the edges of said feedplate, substantially as described.

16. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the combination, with suction-disks for holding the paper, of a vacuum and cutoff mechanism consisting of a cylinder and piston, a piston-rod having a cross-head, and reacting springs to move the piston up, a 16 ver and actuating-cam to move the piston down, tubes connecting the suction-disks with I a main tube communicating with the cylinder, and a stop-cock in the main tube, and

arms in printing-press feeders, a vertical rotating rod, a vertically-sliding sleeve thereon, sleeves or blocks secured to the vertical rotating shaft, and vert'ically-sliding rods moving in the sleeves or block and resting upon or moved by the sliding sleeve, and carrying sleeves or blocks secured thereto and moving on the rotating shaft, with reacting springs which carry the sliding rods downward, substantially as described.

18. In a feeding mechanism for printingpresses, the coml.)ination, with the lifter-arms, of the suction-disks adjustable longitudinally thereon and at an angle thereto, substantially as set forth.

19. In a feeding meehanisn'i for printingpresses, the combination, with the arms for holding the suction-disks, of the disks having a projecting arm, adjusting-block, and setscrew movable on the disk-holding arm, substantially as described.

20. The cmnbination, with the feed-plate having one edge recessed or notched, of a sheet-separating brush projecting into said notch, substantially as set forth.

21. A feeder i'or printing-presses comprising the frame, the feed-plate, the platen, and the receiving or holding plate, avertical rock shaft or red, lifter-arms connected therewith at an angle to each other and movable vertically, suction-disks on said arms, tubes leading therefrom, a valved tube into which said tubes lead, and a piston and cylinder, paper-clamps at opposite sidesolf the platen, a transverse shaft journaled in the frame and having live fixed cams, levers acted upon by said cams and connected, respectively, with the piston, the clamps, the pipe-valve, the vertical. rock shaft or red, and the vertiCally-movable lifterarms, substantially as set forth.

The combination, with a vertical rock shaft or rod, of a lifter-arm oscillated horizontally thereby and movable vertically thereon, and a suction paper-holder on said arm, substantially as set forth.

LEVI ORSER.

Witnesses:

N. (1. HALL, M. J. NOLAN. 

